Prison safety needs review

Editorial by Fayetteville Observer, October 26, 2017.

The director of the state prison system announced this week that he’s stepping down at the end of this month. David Guice has been chief deputy secretary for adult correction and juvenile justice in the Department of Public Safety for four years. He announced his exit in the wake of a violent escape attempt at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution that led to the death of two prison employees. Corrections officer Justin Smith, 35, and Correction Enterprises manager Veronica Darden, 50, were killed in the escape plot in which part of the prison was set afire. Ten other prison employees and four inmates were also injured.

Four inmates have been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths. State Public Safety Secretary Erik Hooks has shut down the prison sewing plant where the unsuccessful escape attempt began and ordered a review of all prison inmates to ensure that those convicted of violent crimes won’t be allowed access to tools that can be used as weapons. He’s also bringing in the National Institute of Corrections to review safety and security at the prison and forming an advisory committee to recommend new technology and techniques to make the state’s prisons safer.

We hope the governor and lawmakers will also take a hard look at funding, staffing and training at the state’s prisons. Since the recession, all state agencies have seen budget cuts and staff reductions that weren’t intended to be permanent economies. There may be no way around the need for better staffing in our state prisons.

http://www.fayobserver.com/opinion/20171026/our-view-prison-safety-needs-review